Truck and tire suggestions for heavy Arctic Fox camper?

[dwilliams]

I carry a 10’9” Lance camper on my srw F350. I’m running the Nitto Ridge Grapplers. They are an F rated tire with almost 4000 lb rating. They are very quiet on the highway, have an aggressive tread that is amazing off-road, and drive great loaded at 80psi. I also have a set of Method wheels that are about 3700 lbs each. So far so good. I’m very pleased with the setup. Just returned from a Baja trip and tires were great off-road at about 45psi with the camper on.


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I've been looking at these online. Someone from one of the facebook camper groups suggested them. I see they are available in a 305/65R18 F rating, which is actually pretty close to the factory diameter, 1" larger I believe.

Now I just need to decide if this is the better route, or if trading the truck in on a DRW is the better route. I've never driven a DRW off the highway or with a camper on it. My work van is a DRW, and it's never given me any problems, other than the occasional rock between the tires when I'm in a customers field. Sticking with my current truck and upgrading tires and wheels would be much more affordable, and I like my truck. I just wonder if I wouldn't like the DRW even better? On the highway I'm certain I would, but when I'm off-road, I'm not really sure which I'd like better. My truck has such low ground clearance, I'm not going anywhere too extreme anyway, it probably wouldn't make much of a difference.

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

Id never trade my SRW for a dually but that’s just me. With 4” of lift and another 1-2” from the 35s it gets me where I want to go even with my Lance on the back. Loving my setup. YMMV


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[dwilliams]

Trade the SRW in on a dually.

Since I do take my truck/camper off pavement a lot, I was not too happy about ending up in off-camber situations with all that weight up high when the Bigfoot was mounted on my SRW. I traded for a dually and find myself amazed at how much more stable the outfit is, whether on the freeway with strong wind gusts or on some dirt road. As you said, the camper is wider than the dually fenders so that part doesn't matter. Plus, if you ever do have a rear blowout your chances of coming to a safe stop are MUCH better!
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This is my debate currently. Do I trade for the DRW, or do I go to the load range F tire on my SRW? I think either would likely solve my issue based on the input I'm getting here so far.

On the highway, I'm absolutely confident I'd like the DRW better. I'm not so certain about off-road. What are your thoughts of the DRW off-road vs the SRW? I'm guessing it wouldn't be a big deal for me either way, my truck has such minimal ground clearance already, and such a heavy camper, I'm not doing anything too crazy with it off-road. Passing though the occasional wash that crosses a BLM road, going down a few native soil spur roads that it will fit down, stuff like that. No tight rocky trails I'd take my jeep on.

 

[dwilliams]

In your post you state the load specs on your TOYO tires at 80 PSI however you did not state what PSI you are actually running in your TOYO tires when fully loaded? The combination of the heavy load you are carrying and inadequate air pressure in the tires "could" be part of your tire issues and wheel cracking problems.

There have been situations lately with factory OEM aluminum wheels cracking under loads. Later model Ford Front Dually "BUD" style wheels are especially prone to cracking. One solution is to run steel wheels instead of aluminum wheels. Not very sexy and certainly much heavier however it is a lot more difficult to crack a steel wheel. Of course with steel wheels you always have the issue of run out as it is pretty easy to bend a steel wheel. You could also look to the aftermarket for stronger wheels however I would be very cautious as most aftermarket wheels offered on the market today are produced in China. While the wheel load ratings "may" be adequate for your needs you never know if these ratings are actually true even with a DOT rating on the wheel.

As you stated above your truck runs great on the highway, pulls hard and goes up and down hills easily loaded with the camper loaded which is most of your driving miles. Given this reality your ability for increased speed combined with the heavy load could also be a significant issue/cause of your wheel/tire issues. A little slower and less hectic pace when traveling might offer a cheaper and easier solution to your wheel/tire issues IF your tendency is to run hard and fast on the highway!

You also did not mention if you "Air Down" at all on the trails. If so to what pressure when off-road? Once again this could cause tires issues over time with low pressure, rough off-road terrain and your heavy load.

Just so you know that if you go with a 19.5 inch truck tire/wheel combination you cannot safely air down those 19.5 tires for better off-road traction. 19.5's are a whole different animal when it comes to truck tires.

Something to think about!

I'm usually running 75-80 lbs when I've got the camper on. I live at sea level, and usually go into higher elevations on my trips, so I usually start at 75 lbs here at home, figuring that as I gain elevation, my pressure will go up (at least I think so?). I've never needed to air down the truck when off-road. It rides really smooth because of the IFS, and it's actually much smoother on bumpy roads with the camper in the back, than when it's empty. The only time I'd ever see myself airing down for off-road use, is if I were to get stuck in the sand. That hasn't happened, yet.

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

Dually downsides are:

Super wide track sometimes is a problem on narrow trails.

Rocks in between tires can be a problem.

Airing down you have to be aware of tires running on each other.

Gotta but SIX tires. Ouch.

Hard to park.

Maybe others too.

Plenty of upsides I’m sure but I’m biased.


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[dwilliams]

My biggest question about a DRW, if I were to make the switch instead of just going to a load range F tire, is are they really that much more stable? I know a lot of people claim that they are, but I can't help but wonder if that's just not because they traded in their SRW on an expensive new truck, and they just want to feel like it's better. I will concede that the DRW will obviously carry the load better, you've got double the tire and wheel, so the load is dispersed much more evenly. The DRW and SRW both have the exact same suspension (at least comparing 3500 to 3500, a 3/4 to a 1 ton would obviously be a different story). The amount of sway should be the same in either rig, shouldn't it? The DRW is going to be harder to tip over in an off-road situation, or when going around a corner or similar situation, but it's still going to feel the same inside the cab isn't it? You're still going to have just as much lean, you'd just have a slightly reduced tipping point in the DRW right?

Thoughts? Other pro's or con's of SRW vs DRW I'm missing? I think it's either a DRW or load range F tires and forged wheels.

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

Generally DRW trucks have heavier springs. You can install those same springs on your SRW and get ‘most’ of the improvement if you go to good f rated tires. Good enough for my 4K camper off-road.


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[dwilliams]

Dually downsides are:

Super wide track sometimes is a problem on narrow trails.

Rocks in between tires can be a problem.

Airing down you have to be aware of tires running on each other.

Gotta but SIX tires. Ouch.

Hard to park.

Maybe others too.

Plenty of upsides I’m sure but I’m biased.


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Thanks for the feedback. I don't think track width will matter much to me, as my camper is as wide as the DRW, and that's my limitation for fitting anywhere.

Rocks between tires is certainly a possible issue, I get them in between my work van tires now and then. It's never caused a problem, aside from me having to stop and pry them out with a shovel though. Annoying-yes.

Never considered airing down issues. Is that actually a problem? The tires are on the same hub and spin together. Does that it hurt anything that they might touch?

Not worried about buying 6 tires or parking.

I do like my SRW, and it's paid for. That's probably my biggest reason for not jumping on a DRW.

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

That setup with F rated 35s gets me to places like this..

A solid 40 miles off the last paved road.
I don’t need no stinking dually.



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[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

Yep. Rubbing dual rear tires can actually catch fire.

I’ve got no beef with a dually but you CAN make your SRW do almost as much.


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[dwilliams]

It would be nice to know the total load on the rear axle. If the camper is 5,000 lbs and the rear empty weights 3,000 lbs. The OP would already be above or at max limit for any light duty single rear wheel rim and tire. In an off camber situations that could transfer a greater amount of weight to one side. I believe that is an overloaded situation or at the very least at the limit of the tires and wheels. The OP said he already cracked a wheel, as evidence. I am unaware of any light duty tire and wheel in a SRW configuration that would be applicable to the OP, hence the reason for a dually. The OP could consider 19.5's SRW wheels and tires but those would suffer from the same drawback as dually with regards to airing down.

I haven't weighed it with just the camper on, but with the camper and the trailer it's way over manufactures specked rear axle weight. I'm at 9250 on the rear axle according to CAT scales. That's beyond what chevy specs for the truck, but it's within AAM (the rear axle manufacturer) specs for an AAM 11.5" 14 bolt. I think AAM specs it a 10,000 lbs. I'm close to that, but only when fully loaded to the max, which I'm not always that loaded.

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

Yep. That’s up there. You might actually need a dually. Just for the tire capacity. I’ve not seen any single tires out there that can handle 5k.


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[dwilliams]

That setup with F rated 35s gets me to places like this..

A solid 40 miles off the last paved road.
I don’t need no stinking dually.



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Great looking setup. That's what I'd love to do to my truck, but I'm a bit hesitant to lift it and go to 35's. It rides so nice on the highway now, and pulls the trailer really well. I'm not sure how well it would tow with 35's. The duramax probably has enough power I wouldn't even notice it. Did you re-gear for the 35's, or are you factory gearing? 3.73's?

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

I’m factory gearing. But not pulling a trailer. Just a 4K camper. Handles it nicely.


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[dwilliams]

Yeah, it's a good load. It's probably a little less now that I took my rolling toolbox I had bolted to the front of the trailer out. I bet that took 500 lbs of tongue weight off the setup. I have a super hitch and extension, and that certainly adds more forces to the rear axle. I don't think it really adds any weight, but the forces on bumps would certainly be stronger. I've had a good three year run with no tire or wheel issues though. Even though I've gone through 3 cracked rims and 2 separated tires, the problems were isolated to two trips in 73,000 miles or so. Still, more problems than I would like to have.